Small plane crash lands on road

Two walk away from crash

September 18, 2008 3:03:11 PM PDT

BOLINGBROOK --

A suburban pilot and his passenger were treated and released from the hospital after making an emergency landing on a busy suburban street.The two people on board the small plane were able to walk away, according to officials.

Rescue crews said the plane made the emergency landing around 10:25 a.m. Thursday at Lily Cache Lane and Weber Road in the southwest suburb. The Bolingbrook Clow International Airport is nearby.

Officials have not released information on what led to the crash.

A man and woman reportedly ate breakfast at the airport, climbed into the plane, took off and then quickly experienced trouble. The pilot was talking after the crash and told witnesses that the plane lost power. Along with the two people on board, there were several witnesses on the ground.

"The plane is coming. It was surreal. I said, 'Oh my God, it's going to hit us,'" said Itasker Story.

P.J. Lopez was in his car, right next to Story.

"I heard a noise to my right," said Lopez. "I turned and it was a plane bouncing off the light pole right there. If it wasn't for the light pole, he would have taken my car and the car next to me."

Instead, witnesses say the plane cartwheeled, teetered back and forth, slid across the road and stopped. Two people were inside the plane, so Lopez and Story, a critical care nurse, ran to help the pilot.

"'Sir, you need to lay down. Are you OK?' He was just looking at us really in shock," said Story.

"He told me he had just taken off, lost power and was trying to make a landing in those open fields. Obviously, he's a long way away from that," Lopez said.

Remarkably, the female passenger got out on her own.

"They were shaken up and taken to the hospital to be checked out," said Lt. Ken Teppel, Bolingbrook Police.

The man and woman suffered minor injuries and both have been released from the hospital.